Manakete

Manakete are a rare species of wyverns that first came about as a result of genetic mutations from their feathery cousins. It is for this reason that a majority of Manaketes have feathered wings rather than scaled, bat-like ones. Manaketes themselves are often seen as kind and wise beings, often going by the motto "A stranger's kindness is never forgotten, and a debt is never left unpaid", essentially repaying kind beings when they're treated well. Manakete are probably the chillest species of dragons out there, though some of the elderly ones can be a bit moody. Generally, the species isn't selfish, but as they're very rare (with one being born every few centuries or so), next to no Manakete has grown up beside any of their kin. They're often hunted for their feathers and the gemstones they have on their bodies and claws, as well as their scales (as they're said to have medicinal properties).

Manaketes are unique in that their growth and strength depends on their surroundings and how well they're taken care of by people around them. If they're always depressed and have poor slumbers during stasis', their feathers begin to darken and wilt, giving them sickly-looking appearances and oddly colourful (if not dull) appearances. When treated well, their feathers have a glossy sheen and become vivid and bright in colour, and they generally are outgoing as well. In addition, newborn Manakete can be influenced into adapting into more feminine or masculine forms depending on the kind of food they eat. Berries and green foods will cause a Manakete child to become male, while feeding it meat will cause them to grow to become female.

Manaketes take about 100 years just to hatch, so the species as a whole remains childlike for about a third of their lifespan (anywhere from 300-500 years), making them easy targets. Like other long-lived species, they practice taking on multiple aliases, changing them up every few hundred years to remain anonymous.

Appearance

Manaketes generally have feathery bodies and twin tails (if healthy and male), as well as white feathers underlying their main flight feathers. Though fluffy, they're fairly durable unless the spot between their wings is struck (as that spot acts as an instant-kill zone). They tend to be rather heavy with their wings, but may appear small when their wings are desummoned. Since Manakete are more often born to Dragon-Youkai couples, the females of the species end up more colourful and bulky than their male counterparts as well. Non-Youkai-born Manakete tend to be even more brightly coloured than their Youkai-inherited counterparts.

Behaviour

They're generally friendly and outgoing beings, though they are cautious since their kind is often hunted for their rarity (and supposed panaceas). Like most dragons, they also horde precious treasures they come across, though this varies from being to being. Some are obsessive over certain things, such as food or items, and may appear greedy when they come across such things. Oddly, they're also omnivorous.

Climate

Manakete do poorly in cold climates (as their feathery bodies and cold-blood generally means they'll freeze quickly when in weather below 0 degrees), and thusly prefer tropical climates with plenty of meat, fish and fruit for them.

Reproduction

Manaketes are not a kind of Youkai per se, but they can derive from dragon Youkai, so they're able to reproduce through the Magic Seed method. Otherwise, it's as one would normally expect from a mammal or a reptile. Manakete eggs take about 100 years to hatch, as the body of a Manakete is constantly forming and reforming within the eggshell until it's ready to come out and is strong enough to survive. As a result, the young can learn new things even before they hatch from the egg, since their ears form by the first year and generally remain functional throughout the process. Manaketes unfortunately only tend to have 1-2 children per clutch, since they're very rare and would not necessarily yield Manakete eggs (in fact, it's far more likely that you would get a Wyvern egg from a Manakete rather than a Manakete egg, since they're often born from genetic mutations).